River Valley

River Bluff Daze in Ferryville is scheduled to take place in Ferryville, WI Saturday, July 22. All events are free, including the Antique Tractor Pull, a hike, browsing the farmers market and fireworks. The schedule for this year’s event is as follows:

8:30 a.m. - Join Joanne White for a nature hike on the Sugar Creek Bluff Natural Area. Meet at the Ferryville Boat Landing at 8:30 a.m. and carpool to the trailhead. Hikers will see birds, wildlife and wild flowers on the gradual 1.5-mile round trip to the scenic overlook.  This hike is sponsored by Ferryville Tourism Council.

by Julie Berg-Raymond

During its regular meeting Monday, July 3, Mayor Melissa Hammel signed a declaration stating that Friday, July 14 is Star City Film Festival Day in Lansing.

The Ferryville Tourism Council will be hosting the second program in its Chautauqua Summer Series Wednesday, July 12 in the Ferryville Community Center at 6:30 p.m. The featured presenter will be longtime Ferryville resident Larry Quamme, whose Norwegian heritage and family roots in Crawford County date back to 1870.

Quamme has taken a very active interest in the history of the Hauge Norwegian Lutheran Church on County B in rural Ferryville, WI. The Hauge movement began in Norway, and it was brought here by the immigrants who settled in southwest Wisconsin. Those who want to know more about how this happened, why it is no longer an active church, and find out information about the existing structure won’t want to miss Quamme’s presentation. Refreshments will be served as well, and everyone is welcome to attend.

The City of Lansing has partnered with Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC) to create a community vision for the future of Main Street. The overall goal of the planning and visioning process is to identify needs, desires and concerns that residents, business owners and visitors have for the Main Street/Highway 9 corridor through Lansing. The end product will be a community-derived vision for the corridor that considers things like traffic safety, environmental impacts, historic preservation, lighting, streetscape amenities and more.

The Community of Lansing will be able to use the plan in pursuing individual projects and funding opportunities and in making decisions about infrastructure investments. Perhaps most importantly, the plan will be a tool for the community in communicating its vision and goals to the Iowa Department of Transportation when the time comes to reconstruct Main Street/Highway 9 through the town.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is taking public comment on a revision being made in the construction of the new wastewater treatment plant in New Albin that first broke ground in early May 2022. The general public now has the opportunity to comment in regard to the proposed change during a 30-day period that began with the issuance by the DNR of a June 26, 2023 letter of reaffirmation of a Finding of No Significant Impact in regard to the proposed changed, as described below.

The Ferryville Tourism Council will be hosting the second program in its Chautauqua Summer Series Wednesday, July 12 in the Ferryville Community Center at 6:30 p.m. The featured presenter will be longtime Ferryville resident Larry Quamme, whose Norwegian heritage and family roots in Crawford County date back to 1870.

Quamme has taken a very active interest in the history of the Hauge Norwegian Lutheran Church on County B in rural Ferryville, WI. The Hauge movement began in Norway, and it was brought here by the immigrants who settled in southwest Wisconsin. Those who want to know more about how this happened, why it is no longer an active church, and find out information about the existing structure won’t want to miss Quamme’s presentation. Refreshments will be served as well, and everyone is welcome to attend.

A New Albin man was arrested Wednesday morning, June 28 in Winneshiek County on two counts of Class D Felony Possession of a Controlled Substance. A report from the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office states that Sheriff Deputies responded to a call from a male subject who stated he was walking on Sand Road outside of Ossian and was asking to be transported.

Upon arrival at the caller’s location, he was identified as Nathan Reinke, age 25 of New Albin, and it was determined that he already had an active arrest warrant out of Winneshiek County. Reinke was arrested and booked into the Winneshiek County Jail on a warrant for Violation Of Probation. He was also discovered to be in possession of a baggie of marijuana and a baggie of methamphetamine and was charged with two counts of Class D Felony Possession of Controlled Substance 3rd or Subsequent (Methamphetamine & Marijuana).
 

The 2023 Paint Iowa Beautiful program made possible through the partnership between Diamond Vogel Paints and Keep Iowa Beautiful has recently provided some upgrades to three Main Street commercial buildings in Lansing. Main Street Lansing was awarded a paint grant through the Paint Iowa Beautiful program that provides free paint/stain products to a wide variety of public service projects throughout Iowa through a grant application process.

“Diamond Vogel is thrilled to work with many local volunteers that help build communities and enhance their communities’ economic vitality. Passionate volunteers like those engaged in Paint Iowa Beautiful make Iowa a great place to live,” said Doug Vogel, Vice-President, Marketing, of the Iowa-based company.

by Julie Berg-Raymond

During its regular meeting Monday, June 19, the Lansing City Council approved the placement of “No Trespassing” signs at the City Marina, after having reconsidered its decision of last year not to ban fishing from the docks.

Two letters were submitted for the council’s (re)consideration of this question - one from slip-renters, and one from Marina Manager Jason Drape. Both letters described a situation that has grown worse since the request made by the marina board last year to ban fishing in the marina - a request the council voted down at that time because of a concern that local kids continue having a safe place to fish.

A group of state, federal and local law enforcement agencies will partner to focus enforcement of Iowa’s Boating While Intoxicated (BWI) law as part of the national Operation Dry Water campaign to draw public attention to the hazards of boating under the influence. Operation Dry Water is scheduled for July 1-3 this year.

“We will conduct Boating While Intoxicated-focused enforcement statewide with increased patrols, check points, and be administering breath tests and working to inform the public on the hazards involved on the waters across Iowa,” said Susan Stocker, boating law administrator and education coordinator for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). “One-third of all boating fatalities nationally involved alcohol and many of those victims were innocent bystanders.”